Sarah
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The Chard and Ilminster News and Somerset, Dorset, and Devon Advertiser. 03 Apr 1909
Page 3 Column 4
ILMINSTER PETTY SESSIONS.
WEDNESDAY. - Before Col. LANGWORTHY (in the chair), Major W. H. SPEKE, the Hon. H. P. GORE-LANGTON, Mr. H. H. SHEPHERD, Mr. J. TAYLOR, and T. PIERS CLARKE.
WITHOUT A LICENSE.
Wilfred NORTHCOMBE was summoned for carrying a gun without a license on the 14th Jan. at Winsham.
P.C. REDWOOD said that on the day in question he was on duty in Green Lane when he saw defendant and another man on Medlow Farm. He questioned defendant and found he had no licence, and admitted he was out to shoot rabbits. The other man had a licence.
Mr. EDGECOMBE, local taxation inspector, who prosecuted, pointed out that these taxes were applied in relief of rates.
Defendant was ordered to pay costs – 7/-.
BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP SEA.
Edward HUMPHREY was summoned to answer a charge of moving 33 sheep from Woodlands to Trumps Farm, brought from Dorset on 12th inst., not having been properly dipped between the dates of March 13th and 16th.
Herbert PAYNE said he had received orders to move the sheep, and he had merely obeyed those instructions.
Mr. LEAN: I might mention, Mr. Chairman, that the Act relating to the offence has since been rescinded. I thought it was hard at the time, but the majority was against me.
The Chairman: We must hear the case.
P.S. EDWARDS said a letter had been received from Sir Edward HUMPHREY admitting the offence. He had bought the sheep at Yeovil market and had he dipped them he would not have been prosecuted by the R.S.P.C.A.
The Chairman: It seems Sir HUMPHREY was between the devil and the deep sea. It seems he would have been prosecuted in either case.
The Bench decided to dismiss the case, but on a further charge of not reporting the arrival of 33 sheep defendant was ordered to pay the costs of both summonses.
A PENITENT.
Allan PAINTER was summoned for using indecent language on the 19th March.
Defendant pleaded guilty.
P.C. HACKWELL gave evidence, and said that on the day in question he was on duty in Broadway village, 2nd defendant was using filthy language.
Defendant: Yes, sir; I was drunk at the time, beastly drunk; and the road wasn't wide enough for me. (Laughter).
The Clerk: They can't put you on the black list now.
Defendant: No. I am sorry, sir.
Sergt. EDWARDS said the defendant had been before that court before on a similar charge. He had lost a good place through his drinking habits, and he could earn good money.
Defendant: Yes, that's right sir. I did lose that place through drink, and I can go back again if I become a teetotaler.
Defendant was bound over on his promising to sign the pledge.
FOR LEAVING A WAGGON UNATTENDED.
Samuel BAKER was summoned for not having control of 3 horses and a waggon on the highway on the 15th March.
Defendant did not appear.
P.C. SWEET, who gave evidence, said that on the day in question he saw a cart at the bottom of a hill. There was no man or driver with it. He went about a hundred yards further and found defendant. Witness asked him why he had gone away and left the waggon in the middle of the road.
Defendant was ordered to pay costs.
ON THE ROAD.
John SHEPPARD, a steam-roller driver, of Dorchester, was summoned for leaving a locomotive on the highway having a fire alight on the 11th March.
P.C. FISH said that on the day in question he was on duty at Barrington when he saw a steam-roller in the middle of the road and presently defendant came out of the Royal Oak Inn about 30 yards away.
Defendant was ordered to pay the costs 6/-/
THE TALE OF A DOG.
Thomas GREEDY was summoned for not having control of a dog at night, on the 20th March.
Defendant pleaded guilty.
P.C. HACKWELL said that on the day in question he was on duty outside the Lamb Inn, Horton, when he saw the dog running about without anyone with it. This was at 11.15 p.m. He shut it up. He had frequently warned defendant.
Defendant said the dog recognised that place as its home because he kept a horse and cart there.
Defendant was ordered to pay the costs 6/-.
DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.
William ELSWOOD, hawker, of Ditton Street, Ilminster, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in that street on the 6th March.
Defendant pleaded guilty.
P.C. SWEET gave evidence, and said that on the day in question he saw defendant, who was very drunk, and used filthy language. He repeatedly warned defendant at the time, but defendant only swore at him, and he thereupon took him into custody.
Defendant promised that it should never happen again, and he was ordered to pay costs 4/-.
THE MAN AND THE MAID.
Francis ROWSWELL, farmer's son, of Shepton Beauchamp, was summoned by Mary Ann ENGLAND, a domestic servant of the same parish, to show cause, etc. Mr. C. F. SAUNDERS, of Crewkerne, appeared for the complainant, and Mr. T. F. B. BECK (from the office of Mr. Trevor DAVIES, Yeovil), defended.
Mr. SAUNDERS stated that the complainant had lived all her life in the village of Shepton Beauchamp, and was 18 years old. She gave birth to a female child on the 28th of January, and alleged that defendant was the father. In April, 1906, she went into the service of Mr. Joseph ROWSWELL, brother of defendant, who was a butcher at Shepton Beauchamp. After describing the intimacy that had been known to exist between the complainant and defendant, Mr. SAUNDERS said that the young man promised to marry the girl when she told him of her condition. She asked him to redeem his promise on several occasions, but he had not done so. Defendant had averred that complainant had been very familiar with a “dark man,” but this complainant denied. When her condition became serious, she taxed ROWSWELL as to what he was going to do, to which he replied “Wait and see if its a ginger one; if it is a ginger one I'll marry you.” (Laughter). “And,” added Mr. SAUNDERS, “it is a ginger one, and, strangely enough, soon after the baby was born, the defendant, who had previously grown a lovely and luxuriant ginger moustache – a moustache which might have been the envy of any young man in the neighbourhood – (laughter) – had shaved, and it had disappeared – that lovely ginger moustache.” (Loud laughter).
Complainant corroborated, and said about a week after the baby was born it was found it had red hair, and immediately the young man was clean shaven. She did not know who shaved the moustache off.
“That's alright,” said Mr. SAUNDERS, reassuringly, “We are not suggesting that you denuded him of it. (Laughter). It disappeared anyway.”
Other evidence having been given, the defendant ROWSWELL was ordered to pay 3/6 per week towards the keep of the child from the time of birth until it is 14 years of age, together with the costs £2 13s 6d, and the advocate's fee.
<NOTES: Francis ROWSWELL son of Francis ROWSWELL and Mary GARRETT
Mary Ann ENGLAND daughter of Richard Ridgeway ENGLAND and Eliza CLARK, married Arthur ALLEN>